Watch CBS News

Chicago Woman Eager For Son To Return From Mt. Everest Climb

(CBS) -- A Chicago woman whose son survived the earthquake and avalanche in Nepal, says she can't wait for him to come home, but, WBBM's Regine Schlesinger reports it looks as though that could take some time.

52-year-old Andy Land who grew up in Chicago and now lives in Wisconsin, was on Mt. Everest for a charity climb when the wall of snow came rushing down. His mother, Loretta, says he's now been airlifted by helicopter.

"He was taken to the base camp where they have sufficient food and sanitation and water and all of that," she said.

Podcast

The plan was to take the climbers to Kathmandu, but now no more helicopters are flying to the mountain, so they have to hike to the nearest town, a hike that under the best conditions takes four or five days.

"What happens when they get there, I don't know. And they don't know, at this point."

She says the Nepali government is telling them not to come into the capital because supplies of food, water and shelter already are so badly strained. So for now, he remains on the mountain indefinitely.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.